A Day in the Life of Region Three

UDOT REGION THREE • FALL 2014

INSIDE:Reflections on a Career 42014 Service Awards 4Message from Teri 7Staff Helps with Road Respect 8Wellness Council Formed 11MAG Transportation Fairs 12Chip Seal Revealed 16Behavior Based Safety 17

A Day in theLife of UDOT Region Three

F A L L 2 0 1 4

Photo Contest Winners

Finalists were grouped into three categories: photo, video and photo series. Staff members who reached a career service milestone this year were invited to vote on the finalists, representing a cross section of the region.

A $50 gift card to Cabela’s was awarded to Brandon Warenski for his photo of burning weeds on SR-68, above. $25 gift cards to Cabela’s were awarded to Chad Allinson for his video clip of tumbleweeds on SR-68 and to Brian Allen for his photo series of Provo Canyon.

Honorable mention award winners were given two movie tickets and a free large popcorn courtesy of Zero Fatalities.

Leslie Beck, Mote Siufanua, Chad Cowan and Ervan Rhoades won honorable mention for their photo series, which you can see on pages 6-9.

Photo submissions reflect the impressive diversity of work accomplished by Region Three employees.

More Winning Photos

PHOTO SERIESProvo Canyon, submitted by Brian Allen. See an additional photo, page 3.


VIDEO CLIPTumbleweeds, submitted by Chad Allinson. Click the image to see his video, along with some photos, on Google Drive.

VIDEO CLIPVIDEO CLIP

PHOTO SERIESProvo Canyon, submitted by Brian Allen. See other photos, page 2.

https://drive.google.com/a/utah.gov/?usp=folder#folders/0B7Q7SvauTULJdHVmX3dSS2d4c3c

“Mentoring the maintenance personnel with math for the TEP program.” - Brian Phillips, 25 years

“Having worked on The Largest Construction Project in the Western Hemisphere, I-15 CORE.” - Jeff Wood, 10 years

“Planning, designing and building the Provo Canyon project.” -Brent Schvaneveldt, 20 years

“Steve Acerson’s retirement party.” - Greg Searle, 20 years

“The friendships I made with those that I have worked with.” - Boyd Humpherys, 10 years

“Everything I’ve seen and learned to date.” - Steve Steib, 5 years

“Repairing a snow plow in the middle of the road because we couldn’t move it.”- Lynn Worwood, 30 years

“A rip rap job in the Duchesne River was a good experience for the crew and myself.” - Paul Baum, 20 years

Reflections on a Career at UDOTRegion Three staff who achieved career service milestones this year were asked to share a favorite memory or experience at UDOT. Here’s what they had to say:

Bill Townsend, 20 years, presents at a Utah Transportation Commission tour.

Jeff Wood, 10 years, visits with UDOT Director Carlos Braceras


“Being on the first I-15 project in SLC from cradle to grave.” - John Higgins, 15 years

“One dark night in Provo canyon during a blizzard, I was plowing up canyon and as I made the bend onto the divided section of highway near the fisherman’s parking lot I saw the headlights of a truck headed down canyon on the wrong side of the road towards me. With nowhere to go I just slowed down and hoped he would have the common sense to do the same. We passed each other without incident but it took a few minutes to calm back down.” - Jason Hayes, 5 years

Gordon Turner, shakes hands with Pat Lowe at his retirement party, above. He retired in September after 27 years with UDOT, most recently working as a Journey Auto Worker. Gordon plans to move to Mississippi to be closer to family and open his own BBQ restaurant. Gordon’s mechanical expertise and good cooking will be missed!

More Reflections on a Career,next page.

Scott Lott, 15 years, worked with UTA mechanic and old friend Rodney Higginson when a bus being used for the August Transportation Commission Tour lost power steering.

“My years working up Provo Canyon plowing snow on SR-92 provided some memories that will never be forgotten. There is nothing like driving in zero visibility along the river and switchbacks.” - Rux Rowland, 15 years

Spending time with familyCoaching my son’s baseball team

Canyoneering

Hunting, fishing and riding horses

Camping, hiking, huntingTraveling

Roasting hot-dogs and marshmallows and having s’ mores at Salem Pond at sunset while taking turns tossing the Frisbee and watching the fire

Hunting behind a good pack of hounds that I have trained Riding my Harley to see this great country

Hunting, fishing and NASCAR

Running on a volunteer fire/ambulance department

Being in the mountains: It’s easy to forget the problems you deal with at work or anywhere else for that matter when you’re looking down 6 or 7 thousand feet at the valley and everything is absolutely peaceful.

Mountain biking, shooting, traveling

More Reflections on a Career at UDOT Favorite ways to spend time outside of work:

A single word or phrase to describe your UDOT work experience:

Public serviceMaking a differenceDedicationLoyaltyCommitment*&^%#%%$ !!Work safeDo more with lessAdaptiveInnovativeGood timesMemorable

John Higgins, 20 years, on a walking tour of downtown with Provo City Mayor John Curtis (far left) and others to dis-cuss roadway and transit improvements.

Les Seckletstewa, 30 years, in the materials lab.


Congratulations!

2014 Service Awards5 YEARSDale AshcraftJason HayesDavid JeanSteven SteibJohn JorgensenMatthew GarbettPaul Sawyer

Alexander Farrell

30 YEARSLynn WorwoodGary GibbsNeil LundellArnold RemundRobert GarrettLes SeckletstewaRanae Nielsen

25 YEARSBrian PhillipsDavid SkinnerDeanna Mitchell

20 YEARSBrent SchvaneveldtGreg SearleWayne CasperRoberto CastanedaJohn HigginsBill TownsendPaul Baum

15 YEARSMichael ScottMatt ParkerScott LottDavid EddsRux RowlandLayne Thornton Justin LazenbyMarshall TerryMatthew Laycock

10 YEARSBoyd HumpherysAdam RayTami TimothyJeff WoodCole Giles

Message from Teri Newell

Pictures of our everyday work help tell the story of what we do. Construction projects are visible to the public when it impacts traffic, but there is so much more that we do behind the scenes! From installing and maintaining culverts to clearing tumbleweeds from roadsides, it is our day-to-day work that makes Utah’s transportation system function.

Feel free to use your camera phone to snap pictures of our people at work. We have the privilege of work-ing in some pretty amazing places with great people; I encourage you to share your experiences using photos and videos throughout the year!

– Teri Newell, Region Three Director

Send photos or video clips to Eileen Barron ([email protected]; 801-244-7412) or Kim Krein ([email protected]) for use in region tweets, newsletters, award applications and more!

Thank you to all who participated in the Region Three Photo Contest.

Doug Bassett and Teri Newell share stories with staff prior to lunch at the summer picnic held at Soldier Hollow. See more picnic photos, page 17, 18.

UDOT Career Theme Songs:

“40 Hour Week for a Living” by

Alabama

“On the Road Again” by Willie Nelson

“Follow the Yellow Brick Road” from

Wizard of Oz

“16 Tons” by Tennessee Ernie Ford

Theme songs from “Gilligan’s Island,”

“Brady Bunch” and “Cops”

Region Three Staff Help with Road Respect Tour

Now in its fourth year, UDOT Region Three staff have been part of the road crew that supports the tour, including provid-ing AC Shelby Cobra cars that attract car enthusiasts to be part of the tour and associated car shows. Road Respect is a partnership effort between UDOT, Utah Highway Patrol, the Department of Public Safety and Bike Utah. Look for the tour to come to Utah County in 2015!

PHOTO SERIES: Road Respect Tour Submitted by Lynda Seckletstewa

The annual Road Respect Tour encourages safe cycling and promotes positive interactions between bicyclists and drivers.


PHOTO SERIES: Tumbleweeds on SR-73 submitted by Leslie Beck

CREWS ON THE JOBHonorable Mention Photos Culvert installation near Nephi, submitted by Chad Cowan. Additional photo, p. 11


Region Three Wellness Council Formed to Participate in Work Well Challenge

The Wellness Council will track points for the year-long Work Well Challenge, which you can learn about at healthyutah.org and is a partnership effort with PEHP.

Points can be earned for completing a variety of health focused goals under cat-egories such as wellness, nutrition, physi-cal activity, mental health and tobacco. Activities like creating a one-mile walking map, organizing a bike ride or promot-ing wellness resources go toward earning points for the Region, which is competing with other regions and state agencies for cash prizes that can be applied to facility improvements and programs that promote health and wellness.

Watch for an employee survey this fall to provide your input on what types of well-ness activities would most benefit you.

Ten bicyclists participated in a ride at Soldier Hollow following the summer picnic in August. This organized ride earned points for Region Three in the Work Well Challenge.

Chaired by Matt Parker, the Wellness Council is a team of employees who work to improve the health and well-being of our staff and work-sites with simple activities and organizational changes.

Crews on the Job, Honorable Mention Photo, by Chad Cowan.

UDOT to Participate in MAG Transportation Fairs

MAG invites member cities to provide information about community plans and utilizes the fairs to invite public input on the Draft Regional Transportation Plan.

UDOT will participate by providing information about upcoming construction on The Point project, seat belt safety highlighted by the Zero Fatalities team, and TravelWise information. We will display the Region Three Interactive Proj-ects map and a looping video using photos from the 2014 photo contest. We will also share information about the region bike plan and invite response to a quick questionnaire that will help us prioritize potential bike projects.

MAG is launching an interactive website called Exchanging Ideas as part of the Regional Transportation Planning process. Kory Iman had an integral role in developing the site to facilitate public input. MAG staff will demonstrate the site at the three fairs in October and accept comment through April 2015.

Mountainland Association of Governments is holding its annual Transportation and Community Planning Fairs during October.

South CountyOctober 8, 20144:30-6:30 p.m.North Park Pavillion1185 N 400 E, Provo

North CountyOctober 15, 20144:30-6:30 p.m.American Fork Senior Center54 Main Street, American Fork

Central CountyOctober 22, 20144:30-6:30 p.m.Orem Friendship Senior Center 93 N 400 E, Orem

Transportation and Community Planning Fairs:

Crews on the Job Honorable mention photo: Chip Seal on SR-87 in Duchesne County submitted by Ervan Rhoades. See Ervan’s other photo, p. 16


CREWS ON THE JOBHonorable Mention Photos Compaction testing on Hole Road, submitted by Monte Siufanua

INDIVIDUAL PHOTO FINALISTS

Top: Erosion repair in American Fork Canyon, submitted by Marshall Terry

Left: Paint crew striping on US-6, submitted by Jeff Weir


INDIVIDUAL PHOTO FINALISTS

Left: Laying asphalt on US-6 submitted by Brandon Warenski

Bottom: Litter rake, submitted by Marshall Terry

The process starts with putting down an evenly distributed layer of emulsified asphalt, or oil, using an asphalt distributor. Then a layer of rock is evenly distributed onto the oil, using a machine called a chip spreader.

The chips are embedded into the asphalt using large rubber tired rollers. Chips that are not embedded are carefully swept off of the roadway before traffic is allowed to use the road so that vehicle damage is minimized.

A few days after the chips have been placed UDOT usually applies a thin layer of emulsified asphalt called a fog coat to hold the chips in place and seal the surface. The chip seal shown here was placed on state Route 87 in Duchesne County. Chip seals were also applied this year to state Route 191 in Indian Canyon and state Route 35 between Hanna and Tabiona.

Chip seal surfaces are applied to many of UDOT Region Three’s rural roads to seal the roadway and improve the driving surface.

CREWS ON THE JOB Honorable mention photo: Chip Seal on SR-87 in Duchesne County submitted by Ervan Rhoades

ROADWAY 101: Explaining the Chip Seal Process


Behavior Based Safety Training Coming in NovemberUDOT is implementing a new Behavioral Based Safety program to improve overall workplace safety.

As the second state agency to commit to this program, the mandatory employee training in November is an opportunity to learn about this initiative and how it will be implemented.

Behavior Based Safety will be the industry standard moving forward and applies to all UDOT personnel working

on maintenance, construction or in an office work space.

Training is mandatory for all UDOT employees; sign up by contacting Pat Lowe at 801-222-3450 or [email protected]. Classes are limited to 30 attendees per day.

TRAINING SCHEDULE

Monday, Nov. 3 – Operations Supervisors at Region Three Headquarters in Orem

Tuesday, Nov. 4- Friday, Nov. 7; Monday, Nov. 10 – Sign up for a session at Region Three Headquarters in Orem

Wednesday, Nov. 12 – East Area Basin Crews and Jack Lyman Crew at Duchesne County Building

Thursday, Nov. 13 – Last training session at Region Three Headquarters in Orem

Training will be held 8 am to 4 p.m.

Summer Picnic PhotosThe 2014 summer picnic was held Tuesday, Aug. 26 at Soldier Hollow near Heber. We enjoyed a barbeque lunch and a slide show of photos submitted for the 2014 photo contest. UDOT Executive Director Carlos Braceras and Deputy Director Shane Marshall joined Region Three staff for the event.

Above: Executive Director Carlos Braceras greets Region Three staff as they approach the serving line. See another picnic photo, next page.


More Summer Picnic Photos Top: Boyd Humpherys, Aaron Pinkerton and Justin Schellenberg are ready for lunch.

Left: Lynda Seckletstewa, Nena Woodmansee and Kim Krein chat with Deputy Director Shane Marshall.

A Day in the Life of Region Three

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